ABS and T/C warning lights

grandpa_spec_F6 · 04-07-2009, 05:31 PM

I know I posted a thread here before about this however rather than threadmine I am starting a new one on the advice of another forum member.

Roughly 3 months ago the traction control lights and abs lights were coming and going as they pleased, however now they are permanently ON.

I saw a local mechanic who advised that his diagnostic tool could not even detect ABS being there, and concluded that the module was stuffed and i'd be up for around 600 - 700 dollars fitted, which being a uni student was like a fist to the face, although he rather enjoyed my reaction.... as did my girlfriend (so much for moral support eh?)

I read that you could clean the sensors and having no idea where to find them I took the rear wheels off and covered them in brake cleaner, took it for a test drive and gave the accelerator a boot (with the wheels on) and SUDDENLY warning lights disappear... YAY! says me, until I get 100 meters down the road and BAM, my dash is a Christmas tree once more :(

Trawled through the forums for any picture of what the blesed things were and finally phoned Mr Hardware, found the bloody things which are so neatly tucked away you cant get to them with ease, sprayed some cleaner onto them however after a test drive this yielded nadda...

A final touch was removing the rear seat and checking the plugs which could have been bumped installing the sound system wiring however these were fine.

So there you have it, anyone got an idea?

**Whoosha** · 04-07-2009, 07:13 PM

Is the ABS and T/C still working ?

Bushbasher · 04-07-2009, 11:32 PM

I had this issue with my Fairlane and it turned out to be the front left sensor was playing up. I removed and replaced it with a second sensor from a wreck and all was good but on inspection the one I removed was covered in iron filings from where I know not. I'm guessing this was interfering with the signal and that the sensor itself might be ok once cleaned up but I haven't got around to testing the theory. Try removing the ABS sensors one at a time from the hub and clean them right up and remove any swarf or filings that have attached themselves then see if that fixes the problem. In theory, all you'd have to do is drive through a metal fabrication yard in summer when it's all dry and dusty and you could conceivably coat the sensors in filings which might short the system. Mine was a company car owned by a building company so it's not hard to connect the dots and find a scenario where my car had been on a industrial construction site to pick up the filings....... Just a thought.

Bushbasher

grandpa_spec_F6 · 05-07-2009, 11:15 PM

Thanks for the replys

When the warning lights are on the abs and t/c wont work. The minute they go off it works again.

The car only had one owner from new and he was a military man but I dont think grenade fragments would stick to the sensors... but I do get what your saying about the iron bits.

Im taking it to a mechanic on tuesday so i'll get back to you with the results!

grandpa_spec_F6 · 07-07-2009, 10:17 PM

Well the mechanic apparently looked at the sensors which doing some work on the handbrake (which now makes a knocking sound akin so someone belting a large wooden door with a sledge hammer over and over whilst driving) however he could not find any fault with them and insists that I shell out 700 for it to be fixed. He even went as far to say that nothing could be determined as the cause until the abs was fixed.

He has offered a second opinion from a mechanic mate of his down the road however so that will be interesting....

The saga continues

TCK-098 · 17-07-2009, 07:28 PM

Honestly Mate 700 is too much for the job as my old car had the same issue and i got two quotes of both of my Electrician mates here in Sydney and one quoted me 200 if i took it out myself and dropped it off to get refirbed and the other was 500 so 700 id tell the guy to go do himself literately.

The dealership that i traded the car in even said it costs him 500 to get the fords done so keep searching of chance it and get one from the local wrecker.

Hope that helps.

grandpa_spec_F6 · 17-07-2009, 11:54 PM

Thanks TKK-098 for the advice, I might call up the guys i know down at kedron, didnt even think you could get it refurbished!

That would be fantastic if was only $200, cheers!

stavros68 · 18-07-2009, 12:05 AM

Most likely its the ABS module ,a guy on ebay repairs them all you have to do is remove the electrical part of the module send it to him and fixes the same one for about $200,takes a few days, mine had the same problem TC & ABS not working, all is good.

eXi7w0unD · 19-07-2009, 07:27 PM

happened to me. a guy on ebay, he fixes them for good. i sent it to him gave him 190 bucks sent it back had it within a week end put it back on and it all worked. happy days

grandpa_spec_F6 · 19-07-2009, 09:26 PM

but what happens if it is not the abs unit? is there still a charge to diagnose or is it only the freight?

eXi7w0unD · 22-07-2009, 05:39 PM

ull have to send him a message, but my opinion would be that the problem with the tc and abs come down to that unit.

i didnt check anythign else, i just went and got it repaired and it worked.

stavros68 · 22-07-2009, 11:54 PM

I had a spare abs module witch was faulty switching on and off i put this on the car and had the same problem ,so i knew it couldn't be anything else.

SA-AUII-MAX · 23-07-2009, 01:32 AM

First thing that came up is that you check the size of your tires.
Seen cars before with different size tires resulting in problems you have.

grandpa_spec_F6 · 23-07-2009, 01:23 PM

I'll check that out tonight, on a random note, the car pulls to the left like buggery.

Doing 100 down the highway, if you give it some juice it pulls like crazy, mechanic says it could have something to do with the abs (as he always does) however the front left disc needs a machine so Im guessing it could also be that.

Im sending the unit down next week so hopefully that will be the end of it